Stephens v. Comenity, LLC

287 F. Supp. 3d 1091
District Court, D. Nevada·Decided December 8, 2017·No. Case No. 2:17–cv–00670–MMD–NJK·Published·Cited by 7 cases

Opinion

MIRANDA M. DU, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

I. SUMMARY

Pending before this Court are four motions: Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike or Alternatively Sever the Third Party Complaint and Motion to Stay Filing of Responsive Pleading ("Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike") (ECF No. 28); Defendant's Motion to Stay ("Motion to Stay") (ECF No. 48); Plaintiffs' Motion for Leave to File Supplemental Declaration of Alexis M. Wood ("Motion to Supplement") (ECF No. 79); and Defendant's Motion for Leave to File Counterclaims Against Plaintiff Jennifer Stephens ("Motion to File Counterclaims") (ECF No. 80). The Court has reviewed the parties' respective responses (ECF Nos. 38, 50) and replies (ECF Nos. 39, 57).1

For the reasons discussed below, Plaintiffs' Motion to Strike and Defendant's Motion to Stay are granted, and Plaintiffs' Motion to Supplement and Defendant's Motion to File Counterclaims are denied.

II. BACKGROUND

Plaintiffs Jennifer Stephens and Christopher Gulley initiated this class action based on violations of the Telephone Consumer *1094Protection Act ("TCPA"), 47 U.S.C. §§ 227 et seq. , against Defendant Comenity LLC d/b/a Comenity Bank ("Comenity" or "Defendant") on March 6, 2017. (ECF No. 1.) Plaintiffs filed their first amended complaint ("FAC") on July 27, 2017. (ECF No. 46.) The following facts are taken from the FAC.

Plaintiffs allege that they do not have any credit cards associated with Comenity and, as a result, neither Plaintiff has provided their cell phone number to Defendant. However, both Plaintiffs purportedly received calls from Defendant. When Plaintiffs answered a call, there was a prolonged silence and delay prior to being connected to a live representative. Plaintiffs requested that Defendant stop calling their cell phones, but the calls continued. Plaintiffs purport to represent a class consisting of "persons within the United States who: (1) received a telephone call from Defendant or its agents; (2) on his or her cellular telephone number; (3) through the use of any automatic telephone dialing systems or artificial or prerecorded voice system as set forth in 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(1)(A)(3) ; and (4) where Defendant has no record of prior express consent for such individual to make such call, within four years prior to the filing of the Complaint through the date of final approval." (ECF No. 46 at ¶ 37.)

Plaintiffs bring two claims: one for negligent violations of the TCPA and the other for knowing and/or willful violations of the TCPA.

On April 25, 2017, Defendant filed its Third Party Complaint ("TPC") against Jackie Wasowicz. (ECF No. 20.) In the TPC, Defendant alleges that Wasowicz, who is Plaintiff Stephens' daughter, provided Stephens' phone number as her own and indicated that Defendant could contact Wasowicz at that number to discuss her account. Defendant brings four claims against Wasowicz for indemnification, breach of contract, fraud and negligent misrepresentation.

III. PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO STRIKE (ECF No. 28)

Plaintiffs move for an order striking the TPC against Wasowicz pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(f) and 14(a) or, in the alternative, to either sever the TPC or stay the third party proceedings against Wasowicz so that she does not have to file a responsive pleading.2 (ECF No. 28 at 2.) The Court agrees with Plaintiffs as to their first argument that the TPC should be stricken.

A. Legal Standard

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Stephens v. Comenity, LLC, 287 F. Supp. 3d 1091 (D. Nev. 2017).

287 F. Supp. 3d 1091 (Stephens v. Comenity, LLC) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related